Need some advice from the seasoned travlers

I have a chance to take a trip from the states to Erlangen Germany. I'm not locked in yet but the opportunity has been offered to me. This is a busness trip. I'll have one flight layover and one train layover (14-15 hr total trip time). I have to take my camera, that is a given. I will also have my laptop since this is a business trip. I figure I need to pack as light as possible. My last trip was a short flight from Raleigh to Atlanta and I had a laptop backpack and a camera backpack. I vowed to never do that again, ugh what a pain. I have since purchased a Lowepro stealth reporter and have been carrying it back and forth to work a little. All loaded down with everything, I'm hitting about 30 lbs. I think that is a little much for such a long trip. So I've been thinking about what to leave behind. I guess my 70-200 2.8 will have to stay but I hate to take it out of my bag,that just seems wrong... Do you think I would use it enough to warrant the extra weight? Specs say it weighs aprox. 2.8 lbs but I swear that thing is heavier than that. Is taking that out of the bag gonna make a huge difference? and would I even use the thing? My Tamron 28-105 2.8 probably weighs in at about the same. It is plenty sharp, near L quality.

Sorry for the run on but I'm a little excited I also thought I would take the wife as a christmas present (I haven't told her yet ). My accomodations are gonna be paid for, I just have to pay her travel expenses. I may never have another chance to do this so I would love to have her come with me. Besides having her company on the trip.

Any tips you can give me when traveling abroad would be greatly appreciated. Ugh, I have to get my passport renewed too... Those two new 2 gig CF cards I just bought will come in handy.

I took my 24-70mm and 50mm prime away with me on my last trip. Never took the 24-70 off my body. I did use a C-P filter and a couple of ND grads. I would say travel light, the 28-105 would be adequate for me anyway. Too much weight might just get on your nerves. The 70-200 is about 1.5 kgs alone (the IS one anyway so maybe the non-IS is a little over 1kg)! Still I would leave it at home unless you really really think you'll need it for say wildlife shots.
Bag-wise, my Orion Trekker II was ideal. Held 30D, 24-70mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.4, charger and cables all in the bottom compartment. Top compartment held filters, CF cards, rocket blower, microfibres etc and also a spare shirt/t-shirt, sunglasses, sunblock, travel guides, and it didn't feel too heavy or cumbersome - about 3 or 4 kgs in all, and it wears comfortably like a small day-sack.

Hope your trip comes off, sounds like a nice surprise for the missus.

thanks dsc_1972, that was very helpful.